Heath Bar Bits Sour Cream Pound Cake

I made this today one of my favorite things to do.

 create..

I made a cake today its for Friday!

My  Church friend passed away.

 Bill made his  famous Cole Slaw for the funeral luncheon John is  having at our church .. Diane  is  being buried at the same cemetery where a lot of my family is buried. My Grandfather bought up a lot of grave sites all at once for the immediate family to be buried.

Of course it didn't turn out that it was only the immediate family buried their.

 But that's another story..

The wind is just amazing out their for three days now.

 I'm happy to say this is the first time I don't have a lot of leaves just a few that are collecting around the different plants.

 So early this morning.

 I went out and raked a few up big piles of leaves and corn stalks...

Leaves and Corn husks flying every where.

This is corn country..

I just thought I would share a couple of cloud formations we had yesterday.

The geese were flying early this morning their favorite weather, cool.

Here is the Recipe for the cake I made.

If you make it I hope you like it.

Its so good...

Heath Bar Bits Sour Cream Pound Cake

3 cups Flour

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla 

2 sticks room temp butter

1 cup sour cream

1 8oz package heath bits

found in the baking section

Cream together

Sugar, eggs, vanilla

Add flour and sour cream

Mix in Heath Bits

Pour batter into prep aired bunt pan

 bake in preheated 350 oven 1 hour and 10 minutes

Check  cake after an one hour for doneness.

 by sticking a tooth pick in to see if it comes out clean.

let set for a few minutes to settle and then invert on to dish.

Cream Cheese Glaze

I am the worse for measuring so here goes

I do this recipe by desired texture.

3 oz cream cheese softened at room temp

1 tsp vanilla

2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

Combine all ingredients until well blended

 Add more milk or sugar if needed.

Cindys Chicken N Dumplings Recipe Share

I just took this shot of a noisy crow letting everyone know he is here

He is way up on the utility pole. 

 He or She found the corn holder we put in front.

Tuesday Morning

I didn't finish blogging last night.

Thanks for stopping by.

 I finally got my computer working We had to take it over to Best Buy and the geek squad  fixed it  thank goodness we had coverage and it didn't cost anything only about 20 minutes in the store. We messed around with it all day. I was trying to bring over some files in my computer Thur my filezilla so they would be in my dianelouise .net.   it messed up my computer and caused my Internet explored to jam up and nothing stored in intern explorer worked at all.. I only got was a blank screen and a message telling me something went wrong No Kidding LOL

 Bill and I tried all day to figure it out..

Nothing worse than when your computer doesn't work.

 Although I do have  more it just isn't the same..

 I also cut down a few things out in front like the tall grass by the front deck I do that every year and a bush and cleaned up my geraniums. It was looking crazy out their and the out side pick up leaves, grass, branches  will be ending in about two weeks..Also did a little in the back.

 I also went over to the Church to help pack up quilts that the Ladies made for world relief we packed 107 of them..It went pretty smoothly after a few glitches and that always makes for a little excitement..

Below a few photos of the quilts some of us helped put together some more than others but doesn't matter every little bit that some one does is I'm sure appreciated.

 After the packing I went home and  Bill and I went grocery shopping, Wow what a day today was.

 While we were their we got out flu shot so hopefully we are safe from the flu for the season.

fingers crossed..

This is the Chicken and Dumplings Recipe I promised.

Recipe courtesy of

Cindy

Chicken and Dumplings

Recipe Ingredients:

Broth


2-1/2 To 3 Lbs Whole Chicken

2 – Quarts Chicken Broth



Dumplings


2 – Cups All Purpose Flour

1/2 – Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
5 – Tablespoons Butter

1 – Egg

1/2 – Cup Whole Milk

Recipe Instructions:
As always the key to great cooking is to be prepared and to use quality ingredients.


Place the chicken into a large boiling pot. Add chicken broth  Make sure the chicken is covered with broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmering. Throughout cooking skim away any foam that forms in your pot. Simmer for 1-1/2 hours until chicken is done and tender. Remove chicken from the broth and allow to cool.


Debone the chicken once it is cool enough to handle. While deboning the chicken discard the undesirable parts (skin, bones, etc). Cut deboned chicken into bite sized pieces.
Now it's time to prepare your dumplings. Preparing the dumplings is easy. Mix your flour, salt, egg, butter and milk in a stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, a mixing bowl and hand mixer will do the job. Continue to mix until a ball forms.
You may need to add more flour while mixing.


Form your dumplings by rolling out the dough to about 1/8 inch on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut your dough into bite size pieces. If you feel creative try cutting out small circles, squares or diamond patterns.


Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Drop dumplings into boiling broth, ensuring that they submerge. Add all of your dumplings to the broth. You can keep dumplings from sticking together by adding butter and dunk dumplings one final time. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for  10 to 20 minutes. Add chicken and simmer until chicken is heated…. Very inportant to cover while cooking your dumplings, do not remove cover it helps to make them fluffier..
  Now ready to serve.


Preparation Time = 20 minutes
Cooking Time = 2 hours

Like I Always Say
Thanks For Looking
Hugs From Me

I was creating with my  lady this morning

I put her in the park to enjoy all the fall colors.

That's what we all should do if we are able and lucky enough.

 To be where their are glorious fall colors.

In the park or the forest preserves or just out and about

 enjoying.

I was out early and these might be a bit dark but wanted to share a few of my flowers

 before the rain comes and its supposed to be here today then their gone for this year.

The photos today are not as sharp, Its not your computer.

 I was using my older camera.

do have sad news my friend from church Diane died yesterday.

We went to the same High School at the same time, same age and lived in the same neighborhood growing up. Became members of our church on the same day.

But didn't know each other until I moved out here 50 miles from the neighborhood we grew up in.

We even had the same first name.

Talk about a small world.

Condolences to her family.

She will be missed..

Here are a couple I took last night of the full moon.

Here are some pictures I took this morning.

Here is that Robin I have been trying to get a picture of.

 Its

almost the end of October and hes still here..

So exciting..

Taken from inside that's why its not all that sharp.

I took this one from inside the house also.. 

I was so excited to see a bird looking out..



I made a pie yesterday!!

Bill helped he pealed and cut the apples.

We actually used frozen pie crust and it passed the taste test..

Im always preaching against them but I think I changed my mind..

Fresh Apple Pie

6 granny smith apples

pealed and cut into eighths

Bring to a boil

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

Add apples

Cook10 minutes until apples are tender

using a measuring cup scoop out about 3/4 cup of  the juice in the pan

after slightly cooled add 2 to 3 tablespoons corn starch mix well

 add all back to pan and continue cooking until liquid has thickened.

a few minutes.

Gently scoop out apples and some liquid into pie shell that has been pierced with a fork to prevent shrinking.

cover with another pie shell pressing edges together with a fork pierce top with fork place on cookie sheet Bake in hot oven 400 for 45 minutes.

After the pie has cooled make glaze

 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 to 2 talkspoons of milk

mix-well glaze should be slightly thick

drizzle on top using fork.

Enjoy!!

Tomorrow

Cindy's recipe for Chicken and Dumplings

She dropped some off on her way to work.

 Amazing

the best we have ever had..

Like I always say

I do make mistakes

 Im not perfect so dont expect me to be..

Coffee BBQ Sauce Recipe

 I didn't get to finish my Blog yesterday
ran out of steam..
Light Frost this morning Hate that..

I'm finally sitting in front of the computer.
I seen a Robin today its almost the end of October and their still here.
 I have never seen a Robin past June.
I can never take its picture they are to fast..
And don't hang around long enough.. 

Just had to share on the way to Drury Lane Theatre Wednesday

an old fashioned country church with the cemetery right next to it.,

 and a modern electric sign.

Gotta Love it..

This morning I was on a roll I straightened up the garage getting it ready to put the wicker chairs and fountain parts  in for the winter. we usually put them in the day after Halloween because we know we wont be sitting out all that much in the front.

 We do occasionally because its protected from the weather more than the back.

 If its a really nice day we still have the swing. I don't put the cushion away until later  just in case.. I know you wanted to know all that LOL  I also put all the yard trinkets away.
 That was a project because I had to move things in the shed to put the table in but we did it and so happy about that..

I did leave two chairs out just in case we want to sit in the back if the weather is nice and I know we will be having nice weather its not winter yet.

I covered up my carnations were expecting frost

And stuck them in a corner hope that will help.

Wednesday we went to a play and lunch a Christmas gift that we finally used.
We  were gone all day the play was at Drury Lane in Oak Brook
 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
 We  seen it years ago and it was so much better at Drury Lane a bigger stage.
 Yesterday was the first time we have ever been to Drury Lane.
We always  went to Candle light or to a Theatre down town. You get spoiled living out here and forget theirs a lot more traffic up north and especially when you don't have a clue where it is, its been a few years since we were up that way, we followed  map quest and that's usually wrong  not this time. It took us right into the parking lot.. We didn't fallow it home and made better time going home because we knew what we were doing on the way back.

The food was excellent and we really enjoyed the meal.

Cesar Salad

I unwrapped the lemon I forgot they wrap it

DAH!!

 cant take me any where.

I had Coffee BBQ Salmon

Yes it was amazing..

I even had dessert

80 percent whip cream.

But Delicious..

Sharing a couple of photos of the performers on stage..

Below is a recipe for

 Coffee BBQ Sauce.

refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutesIngredients:

Ingredents

•1/2 cup brewed espresso or strong, dark coffee

•1 cup ketchup

•1/2 cup cider vinegar

•1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

•1 onion, peeled and finely chopped, about 1 cup

•2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

•3 fresh hot chili peppers, such as jalapeno, or hotter if desired, seeded

•2 Tablespoons hot dry mustard mixed with 1 tablespoon warm water

•2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

•2 Tablespoons ground cumin

•2 Tablespoons chili powder

Preparation:

Put espresso or coffee, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, onion, garlic, chile peppers, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, and chili powder in a small pot, stir them together, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat so the mixture is just simmering and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, let the mixture cool, then puree it in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade.

The barbecue sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

• Grilled Pork Chops with Coffee Barbecue Sauce

Yield: about 3 cups